Emily Atack: Asking for It: BBC Two release date, trailer and how to watch Inbetweeners actress documentary

Emily Atack: Asking For It will follow the Inbetweeners actress and comedian as she reveals the scale of sexual harassment online.

The documentary will see Atack reveal her own harrowing experience of online abuse, which escalated dramatically during lockdown.

The Inbetweeners actress was also brought to tears during an interview on ITV’s This Morning reliving the harassment she faces online revealing that she feels sexually assautled “100 times a day”

So, when can you watch Emily Atack: Asking for It on BBC Two? Here’s everything you need to know.

When can I watch Emily Atack: Asking for It on BBC Two?

Emily Atack: Asking for It will be available to watch on BBC Two tonight (31 January) at 9pm. If you’re unable to catch it then, it will also be available to watch on BBC iPlayer.

What is it about?

The documentary will follow Atack as she reveals the online abuse she experienced. During lockdown things escalated so she started sharing what was happening to her on social media, she was surprised to learn many other women were experiencing the same thing.

The documentary will follow Atack as she explores whose responsibility it is to make this abuse stop and whether enough is being done to protect women and girls online.

Atack also reaches out to some of the men who have sent her sexually explicit content to work out what their motives are. She meets with experts, including a sexual violence and abuse councillor and online safety campaigners, to learn why this behaviour is still being normalised and the victims are often blamed.

The official BBC synopsis says: “In the documentary, Emily tries to understand why she, and the women contacting her, have normalised this for so long, and questions why the blame for unwanted male attention is so often put on the victim of the abuse.”

Is there a trailer?

The BBC released a trailer for the documentary on 26 January alongside the caption: “After years of sexual harassment online, @EmAtack is questioning why people send explicit messages and how society can stop it.”

You can watch it below.

What has Emily Atack said about her experience?

The Inbetweeners actress opened up about her experience of online sexual harassment during an interview with Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby on ITV’s This Morning, which left her breaking down in tears.

The 33-year-old said that she feels sexually assautled “100 times a day”, adding: “I am just trying to live my life as a free woman without being harassed... when you get messages like that you feel so alone and isolated, it’s this spiral of self doubt and shame and doubt.”

Schofield asked the actress: “There is one person who I know comes back and back, you block them and they create a new account, and he says that he is sending you the hideous stuff that he sends you while his wife and children are asleep?”

Atack replied: “Yeah he says that he tucks his children into bed and then comes online to abuse me and then asks if I’ll get involved with him and his wife and then says ‘I want to do it behind my wife’s back and when my children are asleep.’ He calls himself Daddy Dave to me, and constantly says the word Daddy, which is really psychologically horrible.”

Whilst Atack wants to track down those behind the accounts she continued: “I’m terrified of exposing someone and ruining their life. I feel like I’m on a crusade with it now, I won’t change the way I dress or delete my accounts.”

Atack also shared that this abuse was happening around the world, telling the This Morning presenters: “This is happening to women globally, whether you are a sex worker or a nun and it happens. I’ve learned this isn’t about you, it’s about them and their quest for power. For women and girls, our safety shouldn’t be up for debate. These problems aren’t being listened to enough.”

The Samaritans can offer information and support for anyone affected by the content of this article. You can call their helpline on 116 123 or email [email protected] in the UK.